99 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

1999 Dodge Durango • V8 4WD Automatic •

I am having some transmission problems with a dodge Durango, with 46Re in it. It seems to run fine for a little while when vehicle is cold. It is not shifting out of second gear, and some times it has difficulty leaving first gear. I do not feel any slipping. What should I check first?

Find a mechanic with a scanner that can access the Electronic Automatic Transmission Controller, (EATX), (Transmission Computer) to read any stored diagnostic trouble codes. Those codes are a starting point and will identify the circuit or system with the problem, not necessarily the defective part.

The scanner will also read out four numbers called the "clutch volume index" (CVI) for electronically-controlled transmissions. That is the volume of fluid, in ccs, it takes to apply each clutch pack. An experienced transmission specialist will know from those numbers how much wear has taken place in the clutch plates.

Pressure is controlled electronically through a duty-cycled solenoid. No spec is given except that in Drive, 1, or 2, it must go up smoothly as road speed increases, and at 0 mph it must be less than 1.5 psi. Higher than that will prevent downshifts.

I took it down the road with a gauge attached to the governor pressure test port and pressure never got past 30 PSI. When it warmed up it was even lower, or not even show up, and the problem started with upshifting. So now I have the pan off and removed the governor pressure solenoid, and the screen was mostly clogged. It looks like some transmission bearings are on the way out. I'm planing on cleaning the screen and putting it back in. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks for support

I cleaned the screen on the governor pressure solenoid and have roughly 1psi for every mph now. The transmission up shifts when it should every thing is work properly, very happy with it. I'm just putting miles on it now to see if there is any more debris is being generated. The bands had just been adjusted, so I might be all set. Works well, thanks!